CHAPTER IV. 



A HUNTING TRIP TO LAKE CHIUTA. 



ALTHOUGH I had already been on several short hunting trips, it was not 

 until I went to Lake Chiuta that I saw game in the numbers in which it 

 can exist when the country suits it, and where it is unmolested. This 

 small lake is partially dry in the cold season, and in some parts wholly so, forming 

 a huge dambo, which teemed with game when I visited it. 



M. and myself had got leave for two weeks, so we decided to try and find 

 buffalo on the Portuguese side of the lake, for the lake lies on the border-line between 

 Portuguese East Africa and Nyasaland. Having made all our arrangements about 

 carriers and food, we made a start two days before Christmas (1903). Starting 

 ahead of M., I camped for the first night at a village beyond the Domasi stream. 

 As slight rains had already fallen, the bush and grass were already beginning to get 

 green, and some lovely flowers were to be seen, many of the ground-orchid variety, 

 and others the names of which I did not know. Next day I walked on to Chikala, 

 the Government station of this district, where I found the collector, H., at home. 

 Before lunch time M. turned up, so after partaking of that meal we went off, having 

 got two guides from H., who knew the country we wished to get to. H. had some 

 very good heads of game hung on the walls of his house, and I noticed particularly 

 an impala head which measured 2 7in. on the curve. This is by far the best pair of 

 impala horns I have seen in this country. As the carriers had been sent ahead, we 

 found the tent pitched at Semula's village, where we camped for the night. Next 

 morning (Christmas Day) we were up early, and soon had the tents and other kit 

 packed up. 



We stopped at Nkandi's village, for H. had told us we had a good chance of 

 finding kudu near here, and we were both very keen on bagging a good specimen of 

 this handsome antelope. 



Taking different directions, we struck out into the bush, accompanied by a few 

 men. I suppose I had walked for about six miles when I saw a herd of four kudu. 

 Being too keen, the first shot missed, but after running about sixty yards the game 

 stood, and I hit one of the males hard. He ran off with another male, and I 

 followed and soon saw his horns above the grass, and on getting close I found him 



